Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry 'gains with Ultra-FAIMS technology'

Ultra-FAIMS technology from Owlstone Nanotech can help to improve the results obtained through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the company claims.

In findings published this week, the company looked at the effects of Ultra-Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (Ultra-FAIMS) when used in LC analyses.

When connected to a mass spectrometer, the device filters orthogonally to both the MS and LC parts of the process, reducing interference introduced by complex backgrounds.

This also allows analytes that are difficult to study through LC-MS alone to be separated more successfully.

Jon Buttles, principal executive officer of Advance Nanotech, which owns a minority stake in Owlstone, says: "Owlstone's technology may be used to detect impurities and contaminants that potentially have the ability to shut down process lines and could cost pharmaceutical companies millions of dollars."

Owlstone claims that, in some circumstances, its FAIMS technology is able to totally replace the LC stage of analysis and remove the need for samples to be prepared in the usual way.